Diaphragm valve for tank assemblies



June 25, 1935. I H. HUEBER v 2,006,319

DIAPHRAGM VALVE FOR TANK ASSEMBLIES Filed March 1'7, 1932 IN VEN TOR y 1811! y 'Hll8b6] @vM ATTORNEYS I Patented June 25, 1935 "DIAPHRAGM VALVE FOR ram:

'I'hisinvention'relates to diaphragm valves and it has particularrelation to valve constructions suitable for facilitating the operation of devices energized byfluid pressure.

The invention'is designed particularly. for

facilitating the" operation ofwindshield' cleaners wherein the source of power for Operating them is derived-from the suction produced byan.auto-,

mobile engine- Since the engine acceleration l0 varies frequentlyv and within wide limits. the

force produced by'suction likewisejrvaiies. For;

example, when the engine is subjected'toa heavy load; or is accelerated rapidly, the section/preduced is so slight as to operate the windshield "cleaner very slowly. It is the'purpos'e ofthis incient volume of 'fluidmay be. exhausted through the suction line fromthe reserve tank. tofprovide a considerable uniform and prolonged operation-- of the windshield v V motor after the'suction force of the engine has been reduced. A controlling valve is provided in this reserve tank which oper ates automatically to close,the.linefrom thetank 26 .to the motor as soon as the reducedpressure occurs thus leaving a relatively large fluid volume exhausted from the reserve tank and the partial windshield motor. One of the principal features 01' the'invention resides in the construction of a diaphragm valve, together with its mounting, which responds instantly to the changesin pressure and which provides a relatively large area upon which fluid pressure maintains the valve in closed position or opens it.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of a reserve vacuum tank connected to a suction side of an engine and to the windshield cleaner 01' an auto- 40 mobile.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, on a larger scale, illustrating a valve mounted in a vacuum tank portions of which are shown in cross section.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan or a valve mounting as viewed from the inside 01' the vacuum tank; and

Fig. 4; is a fragmentary bottom plan view with portions of the valve structure broken away.

In Figure 1 a windshield cleaner II is shown vacuum thus produced continues to operate the vacuum tank to an engine I! of the automobile.

55 The operation of a windshield cleaner by suction invention.

I v -rceives'a ringv28. vention to provides. reserve tank andcontrolling devices therefor of such construction that summounted in a conventional manner upon an auproduced in the automobile engine is well known.

and understood and hencea description otthe' construction ofthe windshield cleaner and engine is not. necessary for-a proper understandingoi this Suitable straps I 8 surrounding the'vacuum tank= are provided for-securing the tank firmly; as indicatedat", to a structural member of. the automobile. Thelower portion ofthe tank Ibhas its'wall 22 pressed out to forman outwardly pro- 10 jecting annular support 23 for receiving a mar- I ginal flange 24 or a casing 26. The portions otthe oif-set wall defining the annular support 23 forms an annular .recess' 21 inside the wall which are- Suitable screws 29 extending '15 through themarginal flange of the casing and screw threaded. into the ring 28 confine the edge portion of a diaphragm 30 in fluid tight relationbetween the casing and the annular support 23.

A stem 32'1ormed integrally with the central por- 20 tioniof the casing receives a gland which is threaded into the outer end 01 the stem. The i tube l6 extends through the gland and is secured" ,therebyin .fluidti-ght relation into the wall of the casing 26. An opening '34 in the-stem communizs cates, with the interior of the casing and 'with 'a spring seating recess :36 formed in the inner wall oi the casing. wherein thetope'ning. terminatesi One end of a coil spring 31' is seated within the recess 36 and the otherend thereof supports a-ao' central portion of the diaphragm 30 about an opening 38 in the central portion 01' the diaphragm. An annular seat 39 pressed out from the wall 22 01' the tank is substantially concentric with and inside the annular support 23 and I serves to receive the seating portion of the diaphragm in one or its extreme'positions. The opening 38 in the diaphragm is aligned with'the opening 34 and with a central recess 40 defined by the inner edges of the annular seat 39' but 40 not extending through the wall 22. An annular oil-set plane wall portion 42 disposed between the annular support 23 and the seat 39 is provided with a plurality of openings 44 communicating with the interior of the tank and disposed in 45 opposed relation with respect to the diaphragm;

During the operation oi' the windshield cleaner the degree of suction provided by the motor is made substantially uniform by the operation of the reserve tank I and the valve diaphragm 30. 5 The volume 01' the tank I4 is such that the exhausting of fluid therefrom provides for a reserve suction force being built up therein which continues to function even after the suction is reduced in the engine. Accordingly, there is a closes communication between the tank and the this position of the elements the openings 4 still communicate with the annular portion of the diaphragm which bridges the annular space 42 between adjacent edges of the annular support" and the annular seat 39. However,-communication from the interior of the tank to the tube It is arrested. Hence the force provided by the 'pressureditferential is distributed over a rela:

tively large area of the diaphragm which covers.

the off-set plane portion 42. Thus a substantially maximum closing force is provided which is'- effective evenwhen the pressure differential is very slight. In this manner a very eflicient fluid tight seating of the diaphragm upon the annular seat" is insured and the seating pressure is equalized throughout the circumference of the annular seat. Since the recess registers with r the opening 38 in the diaphragm there is no possibility of fluid being entrapped inside the annular boundaries of the seat 38 when the diaphragm tube l6.. In view of the fact that a relatively large area-of the diaphragm is exposed to 'pressure :whenthe valve is closed, long life of the diaphragm is insured in addition to the advan-' tages of uniform seating of the valve seat under various conditions of operation. Although only one form of the invention has been shown and described in detail it will'beapparent; to those skilled v in the art that the .invention is not so :limited "but that "various" changesmay be made therein without departing fluid pressure system, a casing support pressed out integrally from a wall portion of the tank, a

casing secured to, said supportkan oscillatable v l close communication through thefvalve when valve diaphragm in the casing secured in fluid tight relation between the support and casing; said diaphragm and wall portion having openings oifset fromeach other toprovide-communication between the tank and the casing, a valve closing seat on said wall portion of the tank within the range of normal operating movement'of the diaphragm to close communication between the tank and easing when the diaphragm'oscillates in one direction, said openings being disposed on opposite sides of the seat contaoting'portion of the diaphragm. p

2. In a reserve tank to provide relatively uniform changes in the fluid'pressure of a variable fluid pressure system, a plurality of oil'set substantially plane spaced surfaces surrounding a portion of the tank wall and integral therewith. a valve member disposed across the space separating said plane surfaces for movement toward and: awayfrom the tank wall, a portion of the tank wall-having an opening therethrough between saidv adjacenhoffset plane surfaces and communicating with said space, said valve member-having an opening therethrough offset from the opening in the tank wall, means for enclosing the plane surfaces and the valve member, the. r

openings in the tank wall, andvalvemember. normally communicating with each other oneof the offset plane surfaces constituting-avail seat for arresting'comrnunication through theglvaivew 1 opening when the jvalv'e'is seated whereby the major'po rtion of the valve member is sensitive to" diilerential-fluid pressure to maintain it in closed;

relation*upon' said seat.

3: A valve construction compiles; :a container wailfof sheetmaterial having an endless. pressed out support seat andhaving a pressed out endless valve seat spaced frorn the supportseat, ,a casing member a portion secured upongsaid sup "port'seat to provide a valvelchamber with said-v wall. a 'diaphragmjvalve having its edges secured-- between the casing member and'thesupport seat a to partition the valve (chamber; said diaphragm I having an opening therethrough said container wall having spaced openings between the support seat andthe valve. seat forcommunication with the opening'of the'diaphragm valve; whenvztheg latter is inope n position, andmeans normally g t diaphragm toward the valve seat to differential fluid pressure on the diaphragm valve H 'reachesapredetermined'value. I 

